In an earlier study, we had shown that small‐molecule inhibitors that are specific for IRE1’s RNase activity prevented lipid‐induced inflammasome activation and secretion of mature interleukin‐1β (m‐IL‐1β) and m‐IL‐18 in both mouse and human macrophages while reducing hyperlipidemia‐induced m‐IL‐1β and m‐IL‐18 production and atherosclerotic plaque size in mice (Tufanli et al, 2017). This evidence concerns the gene IL18 and hyperlipidemia.